A Quick Guide on Acquiring Singapore Citizenship for Indians

With the wave of globalisation, relocation across the globe is a common practice. In this process, people often look for citizenship in their place of work. For example, the Indians working or living in Singapore might also wish to get citizenship. However, the process of getting it can be a complicated one.

Are you curious to know the steps to get Singapore citizenship for Indians? Then, keep reading this article to know all about it.

One can be eligible for Singapore citizenship if he or she meets one of the following conditions.

• Applicants who have been Singapore Permanent Residents (PRs) for at least two years and are aged at least 21 years or more
• Those who are PRs for at least two years and have been married to Singapore residents for at least two years
• An applicant who is an unmarried child below the age of 21 years or adopted by Singapore residents
• Those who have been PRs studying and residing in Singapore for over three years, and have cleared at least one of the national exams like PSLE, GCE ‘O’/‘N’/‘A’ levels or are in an Integrated Program
• Applicants who have been PRs and parents to Singapore residents

Indian citizens who wish to acquire Singapore citizenship must apply through the e-services. Here are the steps required while applying for citizenship in Singapore for Indians.

Step 1: Start by logging in to MyICA via the Singpass portal. This will open a new page. 

Step 2: Select the “Singapore Citizenship” option under e-services. Next, click on the “Apply for Singapore Citizenship/Enquire Application status” option. 

Step 3: Select “Singapore Citizenship” under e-services and Forms. Next, select “Apply for Singapore Citizenship”. 

Step 4: Select “Singapore Citizenship” under “Applying to Stay”. Next, click on “Becoming a Singapore Citizen”. 

Step 5: Fill out the application form. Upload all the documents. 

Step 6: Make the payment through an online transaction. Keep the receipt for future references. 

The applicant will have to complete and submit a questionnaire with the accurate data in the application form. The following factors can be helpful in this regard.

• Enter your correct marital status.
• Answer in “Yes” or “No” for various questions appearing on the screen.
• Enter your Singapore Identity Card Number (UIN) or of the person who is sponsoring you. 

Next, you will have about seven days for filling out all the required forms. Then, you can click on the “Edit” option and complete the details of each section. After completing all the steps, click on "Review". If you feel that you have entered all the correct data, click on "Done". The forms will include several sections like:

• Personal biodata
• Family
• Marriage and biological children
• Employment
• Education
• Travel
• Antecedent
• National services
• Parents and siblings

The completion of filling out the online form, uploading documents and paying the application fees should not take more than a few hours. However, it might take longer if you need help with these activities. Once you are done, the board can take up to 12 months for processing your application before approving or rejecting it.

The applicants need to pay a processing fee of S$100  while applying for Singapore citizenship. After filling out your application form through the following channels, you can make the payment.

• American Express (AMEX) credit card
• Visa or MasterCard debit/credit card
• Internet Direct Debit (OCBC, UOB, DBS/POSB, Standard Chartered Bank and Citibank Internet Banking accounts in Singapore)

An additional S$70 has to be paid for Singapore Citizenship Certificate if the application is successful. The National Registration Identity Card has to be obtained by new citizens above 15 years of age against a fee of S$10.

As long as you maintain the Singapore PR requirements for Indian citizens, you can apply as a family for its citizenship. If you are more than 21 years of age and have been PRs for over two years, you can use them as a family with your spouse and unmarried kids. Moreover, the parents of Singapore residents can also get citizenship. However, they will require sponsorship from the children through the Singpass portal.

A child born in Singapore will be registered in Singapore. He/she might receive citizenship by birth if at least one of the two parents is a Singapore citizen. Otherwise, parents will have to apply for citizenship for the child.

Your application for Singapore citizenship can be rejected on various grounds. The following ones are commonly seen.

1. Social integration

Often, little to no effort of social integration within the culture of Singapore might result in rejecting your application. For avoiding this, you should participate in the programs organised by the local communities within Singapore during your stay.

2. Additional documents

It is often seen that individuals only submitting the mandatory documents get rejected. These are not considered sufficient for citizenship. Therefore, applicants should also try to submit professionally written cover letters to convince the board.

3. Updated policies

 Various new rules and policies keep updating from time to time. Applicants who fail to follow these changes might suffer from rejection. For instance, one must translate documents in other languages to the local language of Singapore. An authentication stamp from the Singapore Academy of Law is required for this. Applicants should be aware of these rules.

4. Quality of application

The quality of application often plays a significant part in approval or rejection. Missing certain documents like a birth certificate or government ID proofs, blurred or unclear scanned copies, and incomplete application forms might result in rejection. It would help if you made sure that the quality of your form and documents are of high quality to avoid it.